Permits Now Available For Animal Control In Napali Coast State Park On Kaua‘i

PERMITS NOW AVAILABLE FOR ANIMAL CONTROLIN NAPALI COAST STATE PARK ON KAUA‘I

LIHU‘E – The Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR) has announced the opening of a feral goat and feral pig control hunt opportunity in the Napali Coast State Wilderness Park, Hunting Unit G. The areas open to animal control will be between the Ho‘olulu valley (4 miles) and Kalalau valley (11 miles) portions of Hunting Unit G, including Hono o Napali Natural Area Reserve. The animal control is necessary for watershed protection purposes, pursuant to Title 13, Chapter 123 (13-123-9).

The section of the Kalalau trail to Hanakapi‘ai and Hanakapi‘ai Falls will remain open to the public and will not be affected by the animal control. However, the remainder of the trail to Hanakoa and Kalalau will be posted “closed”to hikers, for their own safety. Only hunters with special permits will be able to access the control area.

Control permits will be free of charge, though limited and given on a first-come, first-serve basis from the Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW) office at 3060 ‘Eiwa St., Rm. 306 in Lihu‘e. Camping permits will be $15 per person per night. Interested participants will need to show a valid Hawai‘i hunting license and will be required to sign a wildlife control permit- agreement for individual voluntary services.

All permit recipients are required to actively engage in hunting while in the park during the control dates. The animal control activities will be held on June 21 and 22, 2014 and August 16 and 17, 2014. Up to sixty (60) participants will be allowed for each scheduled control period. No other camping permits will be issued for the animal control dates. Only selected hunters will be issued camping permits.

Animal control participants will be allowed to enter the Na Pali Coast State Park on the Friday prior to their assigned date. This will allow time to set up camp and scout the animal control area. Participants must provide their own round-trip transportation (via boat or foot only; no helicopter transportation will be permitted). The year-round archery hunting will be limited to Hanakapi‘ai valley during the scheduled animal control period.

The bag limit will be six (6) goats and four (4) pigs per participant; however, three goats must be nannies (females).Participants will be permitted to use either muzzleloading or conventional rifles but may carry only one firearm on his/her person while participating. Title 13, Ch. 123 Rules Regulating Game Mammal Hunting shall apply to these control activities.